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*****
The sky had already darkened.
Normally, at this time, Mike would have already gone home with Gwen, but today, because Gwen found and brought home this man, their return was delayed.
The man wore a thin, ill-fitting trench coat and a pair of ripped blue jeans that looked like they could fall apart at any moment—he looked like a homeless person.
Now, the man sat slouched on a chair inside Mike's shop, his back hunched and eyes vacant. He didn't look like a strong, upright man in his prime, but more like a weary old man, broken in spirit and exhausted by life.
Gwen held the blanket Mike had been using to warm himself in the sun and stood before the man, softly saying, "Uncle, here, take this."
Hearing the caring, innocent voice, the man's vacant eyes flickered slightly, and his gaze fell on Gwen.
Gwen smiled at him and gently extended the blanket.
The man's cracked lips trembled slightly, and a voice, as if struggling through a torn throat, came from his mouth.
"Thank you."
Gwen opened the blanket and draped it over the man.
Feeling his body slowly warm up, the man's numb, cold eyes also softened.
"My name's Gwen. Gwen Kent."
"Bruce,"
the man whispered, pulling the blanket tighter around himself before falling silent.
Gwen glanced at him, unsure what to say next. She poured him a cup of water and sat quietly beside him.
Watching his back, Gwen folded her arms and rested her chin on them, pondering what had happened to him.
"It must have been something very painful," she murmured, recalling how she first saw him.
Though the weather had warmed recently, the day's continuous drizzle made the temperature still quite chilly outside.
Luckily, it was Sunday, so Gwen didn't have to go to school or tutoring.
She had slept in, eaten the breakfast her dad left for her, and had planned to come to the shop, but Aunt Carter from next door pulled her into her home to eat steak.
Afterward, rubbing her belly, she returned home, finished her homework, and watched some TV.
As it neared six o'clock, she grabbed her umbrella, ready to pick her dad up.
On her way, near a small alley not far from the shop, she spotted this man soaked by the rain.
He was curled up next to a trash bin, lying in a small puddle, quietly getting drenched—a sight even more pitiful than Peter being bullied and thrown into water.
"Uncle, do you need help?" Gwen whispered.
No response—only the soft patter of rain.
"Uncle! Do you need help!?" Gwen raised her voice this time.
The man still lay quietly in the puddle, like a... dying fish?
She suddenly thought of the fathead fish her dad knocked unconscious while killing fish.
Still no response.
Gwen cautiously poked him with her umbrella. When he didn't move, her face paled, and she gasped inwardly.
Could it be... could he really be dead?
Mimicking what she'd seen on TV, she bent down slightly, holding the umbrella between her teeth, and put her hand under his nose. Feeling warm breath, she relaxed.
Looking at him, Gwen sighed and placed her umbrella on the ground to shield his head from the rain, then opened her other umbrella, tilted it to cover him, and took out her phone to call Mike.
Perhaps the sudden stop of rain brought Bruce back to his senses. His eyelids fluttered, and he opened his eyes just a slit, seeing a worried, anxious little face in the dim light.
Was she... worried about him?
A strange mixture of sadness and warmth stirred in Bruce's heart, but when he thought of Betty's murder, his heart turned cold again.
It was all his fault... all because of him...
He blamed himself, and the emotional turmoil caused green veins to appear terrifyingly on his skin.
A raging power coursed through his body, and a green glow tinted his eyes.
"Dad, come save him, I'm waiting for you!"
Suddenly, the childish voice echoed in his ear again. He took a deep breath and forced down the sorrow and anger surging inside him.
Instantly, the abnormal aura disappeared.
At that moment, Gwen put away her phone and softly said to Bruce on the ground, "Don't be afraid. My dad is coming."
Her gentle, youthful voice mingled with the raindrops, like ripples touching his heart.
Within less than half a minute, Bruce heard footsteps approaching, followed by an unfamiliar voice.
"Gwen."
"Dad!"
Gwen looked up and said to Mike, "Can we help him? If this keeps going, he might die."
If he died like this, it wouldn't be so bad.
Bruce's heart was like dead ashes, and a bitter smile surfaced inside.
Mike bent down and smiled at Gwen, saying, "Before he dies, let's take him home and make him into human meat buns!"
His tone was serious—not like he was joking.
Hu—human meat buns?
Hearing that, even Bruce in his state felt a chill run through him. He couldn't help but open his eyes, wanting to see what kind of devil could say such calm words.
He wanted to die, but didn't want to be eaten. More importantly, if those people ate him, would he cause them to mutate too?
"Dad, don't joke around!"
Gwen shot Mike a half-annoyed, half-amused look, but couldn't help laughing. Suddenly noticing the man on the ground had opened his eyes, she exclaimed, "Dad, look! He's awake!"
"Hm."
Mike glanced at him, feeling like he recognized that weary face, but after thinking hard, he wasn't sure he'd ever actually seen him.
"Come on, let's take him away to be turned into human meat buns!"
Mike laughed as he lifted the man from the ground. Gwen protested with a disgruntled shout, but he walked toward the shop.
For some reason, listening to this father and daughter's banter, Bruce felt a strange warmth growing inside.
"Gwen!"
A voice called, snapping Gwen out of her thoughts.
She rubbed her chin, looked toward Mike, and hurried over as he waved at her.
"Take this over to him."
Mike handed Gwen a bowl of noodles.
Gwen sniffed it, looking delighted.
When you get home tonight, I'll make whatever you want.
"Oh!" Gwen smiled happily.
Mike watched as Gwen took the bowl to the man who sat like a log, then pinched his chin thoughtfully and muttered, "Bruce?"
He had heard everything Gwen said just now.
Looking at the man's face again, he really was Bruce Banner.
Dear daughter, you really are good at picking people up…
(End of chapter)